Cloud computing relates to the sharing of computing resources that are generally accessed via the Internet by a user using a web browser interface. In particular, cloud computing infrastructure allows users to access a shared pool of computing resources, such as servers, storage devices, networks, applications, and/or other computing based services. By doing so, users, such as individuals and/or enterprises, are able to access computing resources on demand that are located at remote locations in order to perform a variety computing functions that include storing and/or processing computing data. For enterprise and other organization users, cloud computing provides flexibility in accessing cloud computing resources without accruing up-front costs, such as purchasing network equipment, and investing time in establishing a private network infrastructure. Instead, by utilizing cloud computing resources, users are able redirect their resources to focus on core business functions.
In today's communication networks, examples of cloud computing services a user may utilize include software as a service (SaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) technologies. SaaS is a delivery model that provides software as a service rather than an end product. Instead of utilizing local network or individual software installations, software is typically licensed on a subscription basis, hosted on a remote machine, and accessed as needed. For example, users are generally able to access a variety of business and/or information technology (IT) related software via a web browser. PaaS acts as an extension of SaaS that goes beyond providing software services by offering customizability and expandability features to meet a user's needs. For example, PaaS can provide a cloud-based developmental platform for users to develop, modify, and/or customize applications and/or automate business operations without maintaining network infrastructure and/or allocating computing resources normally associated with these functions.
Within the context of cloud computing solutions, users often interact with applications hosted in an instance of the cloud infrastructure by using a web browser interface to web pages. This is similar to how a user typically navigates the Internet. However, if the main (or only) interface to cloud-based applications is a web browser, performance aspects of the web pages require a higher level of scrutiny as to their design and implementation as compared to standard web pages. Stated differently, the casual user “browsing” the Internet will likely have very different performance criteria than corporate users connecting to applications that are mission critical to their business. Accordingly, it may be desirable to collect and analyze web analytics data in production systems or simulation systems to determine how a user is interacting with the overall user-interface and have enough detail to determine user interaction information about particular web pages.